Why
isn't Thailand a popular destination for Irish families? Much maligned in the
press, this beautiful country has been tarnished by the barrage of western men
who descend upon the country seeking seedy sex. So, I set off to investigate
with my lifelong friend Catherine, her daughter Alice and my daughter Nicole, to
see what Thailand can offer us girls. The first thing we find is that if you
don't go looking for the unsavoury side of Thai life, you won't find it.
Our
holiday starts on Phuket, Thailand's largest island. Serviced by an international
airport, it can be reached from Dublin with just one stopover. A transfer by
taxi takes one hour to The Cape Panwa Hotel and Spa, where the lobby has no
doors or walls but instead wonderful woven fish hanging from the ceiling. A
blanket of warm air envelops us as the receptionist distributes cold hand
towels and a refreshing juice to drink. Thailand has two seasons, hot and
hotter, an almost perfect climate.
Overlooking
the private beach and tropical palm trees, our huge rooms are a hit with our
daughters who can't wait to try the Jacuzzi bath on the veranda. First port of
call when travelling with the girls is to the infinity pool down by the hotel's
private beach. The hotel's other pool boasts cabanas and comfortable padded
loungers for sunbathers. That night we eat in one of the hotel restaurants and
although it is five star service the prices certainly are not. The bill comes
to €30 for four people. Thai food is spectacular and you can eat very well for
less than €5 per day if you chose to dine at one of the many street stalls, a
bonus when feeding a hungry teen and tween.
The
next day we are met at 11.30am by a bus that takes us to the north of the
island and the John Gray Sea Kayak Excursion. The Hong by Starlight Tour starts
in the afternoon and we bring a change of clothes on instruction. We are taken
by traditional Thai boat to explore the caves of the Ko Hongs. Brought to the
world by James Bond, on the big screen, these tiny islands sprout out of the
crystal blue waters of Phang nga Bay and hold a host of treasures within. But
first we get into the sea kayaks with our guide, Upsy, who is appointed to us
for the duration of the day. Upsy paddles our canoe through caves covered in
stalagmites and home to hundreds of fruit bats. This adventure is not for the
claustrophobic because it is a tight squeeze through the caves to get to the
centre of the Hong. But the journey takes us out the other side to an oasis of
calm and tranquillity among the mangroves. This fragile eco system has been in
existence for thousands of years and the girls excitedly lookout for monkeys
while they wade through the waters inspecting the fish and wildlife.
It's
dinner time and the colourful food on offer in the buffet is as delicious as it
looks − the girls especially love the healthy rice dishes. After a swim Upsy
shows us how to make a kratong (a floral offering made from banana leaves and
Singapore orchids). As darkness descends we take our final excursion through
the hongs, we light the incense and candles of our kratong and make a wish as
we send the Buddhist offering out to sea. Thousands of tiny lights from bioluminescent
plankton light up the caves, like tiny fireflies in the water. When we reach
the centre of the Hong, the monkeys appear, swinging through the mangrove
trees. It's a transcendental experience from start to finish and one that we
will never forget sharing with our daughters.
We
spend next day exploring the massage and beauty salons that line the steep road
to our hotel and choose one with comfortable air-conditioning and WIFI. Girly
heaven costs a little over twelve Euros for a coconut oil massage that lasts well
over an hour. I'm careful to ask for a gentle massage because these ladies have
extra strong fingers. A pedicure is only €10 and a manicure even less and as there
aren't the usual stipulations for the girls to be over 16 our daughters get the
full benefit of our spa day. Catherine is completely hooked and sneaks off for
another quick massage after dinner.
Cape
Panwa is the perfect resort for families with great choice of restaurants and
stalls selling trinkets along the beach front but Thailand is a big country and
we have another island to explore. So, next day we take a speedboat to Koh Yao
Noi in Phang nga Bay. We share our speedboat transfer with a Danish family who
tell us this is their second time going to the same resort. Scandinavian,
French and Germans families seem to have earmarked the most desirable unspoilt
islands to visit and it makes me wonder why the Irish haven't also done so.
As
we step off the speed boat we are greeted by a sign welcoming us to 'Paradise'.
"I wonder how much is a massage?" Catherine asks. A massage on the
beach is €12 so that will do her nicely. Built into the mountainside, the rooms
are best described as luxurious eco dwellings, a plunge pool Jacuzzi beckons
from the deck against the backdrop of turquoise waters and palm trees. We get
to eat our dinner that night with sand tickling our toes at the beachfront
restaurant. Batik painting is our first call after breakfast and for only €2.50
each our patient teacher helps us to make a silk masterpiece that we can bring home
as a memento.
Only
8km long, Koh Yao Noi is easily explored in half a day and we hire a taxi for
less than €40. To get to the other side of the mountain we first have to cross
dense forest and the girls are agog at the tiny pots of white goo hanging from
the rubber trees. Our driver stops and lets us see the process and touch the
latex in its natural state. The main village is surrounded by rice fields and
cows while the fishermen's houses are built on stilts at the water's edge to
accommodate the rising tide. Our daughters, being part of the selfie generation,
are snap-happy with so many photo opportunities in this exotic and different
land.
When
we return to our hotel we decide to make use of our complimentary Yoga class,
on offer to all hotel guests, and we ask instructor Kaylin if the girls can
come too. We are told providing they can concentrate they will be fine. Catherine
and I struggle with some positions, while our daughters stretch across their
mats like a couple of elastic bands. As I fumble with the belts and blocks,
Catherine and I get a fit of the giggles − our daughters aren't the ones to
disturb the class after all. But in this perfect setting with the waves lapping
in the background Kaylin is very cool and relaxed and helps me focus on my poses.
At night we are entertained on the beach by some traditional dancers and a Thai
Boxing routine and we really don't want to leave this paradise.
Next
morning, we take a short one hour flight from Phuket to Bangkok and check-in at
the Cape House, a sister of our hotel in Cape Panwa. The two-bed apartment is
perfect for families and the rooftop pool sets us far from the madness of
Bangkok's busy streets. We have a reservation for a very special dinner on the
Loy Nava Cruiser on the Chao Phraya River. The Loy Nava was tastefully
converted from an antique rice boat into a river cruiser in 1970 and we are
greeted on boarding with garlands of flowers for good luck. Traditional
musicians and dancers entertain while dishes of exquisite seafood are brought
out at regular intervals. Cocktails for the mums and mocktails for the girls,
with the lights of Bangkok and the warm breeze providing natural air-con, we
are brought to a different dimension. The same shuttle bus that collected us takes
us back to our hotel and a good night's sleep because we have a busy day ahead.
Bangkok
like any other capital city has its must see sites and The Grand Palace, home
to the Royal Family, is one of them. Unlike its south-east neighbours, Thailand
was never colonised by the British or French hence the name Free Land, Thai
meaning free. We get to see the Emerald Buddha and partake in the Buddhist
ceremony of offering candles, incense and flowers. The kids love the adorned
temples and unusual architecture quite unlike anything they have seen before.
The
Wat Pho Temple, home to the largest reclining Buddha in Thailand, is close by
so we pay a visit before heading off on an adventure through the cities Khlongs
(canals) on a long tail boat. As we speed up the Chao Phraya we get to feel
like James Bond Girls. Our guide pulls over to the side of the river where an
old woman sells bread, he gets the girls to throw it into the water as hundreds
of huge carp jump up to eat it, much to the girls squeals of delight. We don't
have time to see the floating markets but we have to leave something for next
time.
We
finish the day shopping in Chinatown but the department store MBK is the must
do for shopaholics, we pick up bargains, especially in shoes and dread the
thought of going home. Thailand shouldn't just be a bucket list destination,
for a higher outlay on flights a family can make up the difference with top
class hotels and food and make massive savings on pedicures and massages!
Factbox
For
more information see http://uk.tourismthailand.org/
Pricing from Irish tour operator, Tropical Sky is
as follows:
3 nights at Paradise@ Ko Yao and 7 nights at Cape
Panwa including flights from Dublin departing May & September 2016, per
person based on two people sharing a room, subject to availability at €1,499
John Gray’s sea canoe excursion bookable at €115pp
Dinner on Loy Nava river cruise including hotel
pick up and drop off starts circa €40
book on www.loynava.com
Published in the Irish Mail on Sunday 13th March 2016
